ColdSingha

My point being; as more as an advisory, that many groups run by ex-pats staying in Thailand are now falling under the watchful eye of the Immigration departments. I know this first hand and these groups should be aware of the fact.

how do you know this first hand?

Coworking spaces have existed in Thailand in many cities before the recent statement in question, so it's not like it's the existence of the space is in any way a reaction to the statement. Furthermore I don't think that the statements were misconstrued given todays actions - facts of the matter are that a bunch of people working remotely for foreign clients were taken to the station, questioned by immigration and then released without cherge when it became clear that they were not employed by the coworking space. Seems to me that working online for foreign clients and being paid abroad is not being construed as working in Thailand by immigration, and therefore not a breach of a Tourist Visa.

i wonder how many of them actually said that rather than something along the lines of: "errr, i've been emailing family all day"

i hear what you are saying but it should be clarified that in every single instance i've ever heard of someone getting arrested/deported for working without a work permit (including this raid) it's immigration and not DOL that turned up

ok allow me to answer the question this way, in any country in the world when somebody is arrested does the "prosecutor" of the case turn up for all arrests, no they don't, only the cops turn up, they are there to enforce the law, not interpret it, the interpretation of the law sits with the DOL

This is the problem with the current situation, and why we are getting different "statement's from immigration, they are really not the right people to interpret what "work is" in Thailand, the clarification should come from the DOL.

doing raid's and deportation by immigration makes perfect sense, The DOL are not a police force, Thai immigration are, the DOL doesn't have jail cells ie the IDC, immigration does, deportation proceedings fall squarely in Immigration remit

thanks, makes sense

I thought I read somewhere that being a digital nomad was kind of kind of kind of OK to do.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4366

What if I want to work in Thailand?

If you are working for a Thai company, you will need a non-immigrant (type visa and then a work permit in order to work legally.

If you are a 'digital nomad' running your own business on the internet, the immigration office says you can do this on a tourist visa.

This was the response by Pol. Col. Rutphong Sanwanangkun, Superintendent of Chiang Mai Immigration when asked directly about "people working online" on Aug 21, 2014

of course we could point out its not Thai immigration who decides who does and doesn't need a WP, that's the DOL's mandate, so said Pol Col may in fact be talking out of turn and commenting on a subject that has nothing to do with him,

Thai immigration has nothing to do with the issue of work permits, they only deal with visa's and extensions of stay...

i hear what you are saying but it should be clarified that in every single instance i've ever heard of someone getting arrested/deported for working without a work permit (including this raid) it's immigration and not DOL that turned up

I thought I read somewhere that being a digital nomad was kind of kind of kind of OK to do.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4366

What if I want to work in Thailand?

If you are working for a Thai company, you will need a non-immigrant (type visa and then a work permit in order to work legally.

If you are a 'digital nomad' running your own business on the internet, the immigration office says you can do this on a tourist visa.

This was the response by Pol. Col. Rutphong Sanwanangkun, Superintendent of Chiang Mai Immigration when asked directly about "people working online" on Aug 21, 2014

I don't recall it being so clear.. I think after that statement he said something like "but if you plan to stay for a long time in thailand you need the proper visa" .... Add to that that ALL OTHER officials have always said that people working online need to have a work permit .. and thus the confusion... but I like where this is going .. obviously it seems like they let everyone go... we will see if the people making complaints keeps calling and immigration changes their mind and goes in and takes all the people sitting there working on ed / tourist visa...

do you have sources/links for all the other officials quotes as i can't find them?

I thought I read somewhere that being a digital nomad was kind of kind of kind of OK to do.

and appears to still be ok to do as everyone released either that or there was a giant misunderstanding between "lots of foreigners working AT" and "lots of foreigners working FOR"

btw i know people who go to co-working spaces who arent actually working. at a standard 200 baht day with very fast internet, comfy chairs and usually free coffee/tea its a hell of a lot cheaper to hang out than at a coffee shop with no hassle from shop assistants and lots of like minded (read young) individuals around to chat tech all day

much more healthy than staying in a bar all day

nice of him to offer her a lift back.. after raping and robbing her.

scum

waiting for the "rape happens not just in thailand" crowd to arrive

Well...at least you were the first of the "name calling" crowd to have arrived on the scene (whatever purpose that serves)Now we will have the usual battle to see who can come up with the vilest description for the person who did the assault. Any normal mature person would be horrified at what happened to this lady and I pray she makes a full recovery from her ordeal....but please....a quite prayer for her would be of far more benefit than the usual immature demonstrations of name calling to show the world what a wonderful person one is by how outraged they are.

so in summary, you are personally attacking my character to show the world what a wonderful and mature person you are??

hmmm, there's a word for that..

anyone know if acceptable Hua Hin immigration?

Thailand is a very safe country. I have been here 2 years and I haven't so much as seen any trouble. The only problems here in Thailand appear to happen in the places most people know to avoid anyway - Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok. I am sorry for anyone who gets into trouble here or gets hurt but it doesn't take a genius to work out that there is a certain risk to going to Pattaya and getting extremely drunk. The same would apply to a tourist visiting England, don't go to St Annes in Nottinghnd get extremely drunk or try to purchase drugs in Moss Side in Manchester. It is of course not ideal but at the same time, getting in trouble in Thailand seems entirely avoidable to me.

I'm not sure who's the dumber, you or the tourism minister. Where do you think tourists go?

there are many places to party on koh tao already, AC, Maya, Castle, come to mind.

problem is the tourists went to one of these and got brutally murdered afterwards.

the attitude of thais, burmese towards tourists that they can beat, rob, rape or murder them with impunity is the real problem

handing out more than a 500 baht fine for a beating would be a good place to start

make it known, violence towards tourists in any way shape or form will not be tolerated no matter "who" you are

I'll never understand why people smoke.

peer pressure followed by a fast addiction thats only recently been admitted to.

whats not to understand?

i stand by my point.

and i'll add, if its so safe why has security to be bulked up?

why are pretty girls advised now not to wear bikinis?

why are we now advised to avoid dimly lit areas after 6pm?

and why the xxxx are we being told this now?

i'm glad you guys feel safe with your windows open, after 8 years on samui and multiple burglaries later i sure as hell wouldn't

The things we here so far point to two possible scenarios:

1. Murder out of jealousy. The killer sees (or hears, god sake the farangs are not quiet during sexual intercourse) the couple having sex on the beach and wants to take revenge on the girl. So picks up one of these hoes hanging around the bungalows and kills them. Prime suspects for this are clearly some farang.

2. Murder because of rape attempt. The killer sees the couple having sex on the beach and wants to join in the action. He or she or they is picking up a hoe in order to knock down the male. The victims fight and the knocking is so violent that they are getting killed. Prime suspects for this are more likely asian.

Normally we would tend to think that the second scenario is more likely. Asians do not respect any girl having sex in public and in any case for them farang practice free sex. So having witnessed the girl flirting with many boys and having public sex, they certainly want to join in.

3. An earlier altercation between a local and the male victim led to them being followed by the killer and friends who attacked the boy killing hime then raped and killed the girl.

update on thai pbs shows 2 sets of dna found and also 2 seperate weapons used. now clear more than one attacker involved

What a stupid comment

"Prayut said Thais must tell "tourists when the safe times are to be outside, we have to help them understand"

If tourists can not feel able to feel safe and not be able to go out and staying on the beaches, why should they come to Thailand at all?

do do all this things - bad ones ! and maybee even good ones,

which they never would do, or be allowed to do in their home country !

Have you ever seen brites make public sex on their beaches ?

you joking right? barely a peer in england that doesnt have a horny pair of teenagers shagging under it most weekends

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

link?

Im guessing his name is Christopher Alan Vare rather than Christopher Alanvare

http://m.sanook.com/tablet/news_detail/latest/1668489/

IT'S A CLASSIC SHAME.

My TH friend has informed me in TH TV programs they told these guys (victims) wanted to make love in the beach and some-one attacked them.

They didn't say but almost, these young guys deserved which they have got.

This is a disgusting opinion.

Is this mean if some-one would like to make love in the beach have to die, have to get death penalty?

My mind has stopped end hasn't restart yet ....

An incredibly false sense of morality from a country that sells it's women's and daughter's bodies to the highest bidder, and thinks that is completely normal, and proper. I am not judging the morality of casual sex, on any level. But, to be comfortable with that, and to accept that as normal, and on the other hand condemn these young people for having sex on the beach, is a bit off, and indicative of completely incorrect, and twisted logic. Unless, what they are saying is that it is fine for a woman to get paid for sex, but bad to have sex for fun?

Amazing twisted "logic" you are using.

You know there are 30million+ Thai women right? Just cause you see some in PatPong doesn't mean all women are sold for sex. Maybe you hang out with only the Nana crowd. Did you know there are prostitutes and strip clubs in places like the US/Canada. Do the Dutch sell their women because there is the Red Light district?

Generally public or semi public sex if frowned open by a lot of people. Try having sex on a UK beach. You think everyone is going to be cool with it? There has been outrage at english getting it on in Spain on their beaches. So to say Thais are some how unique in this thinking is BS.

This being said I don't think of these kids as bad. Hell I understand it...in fact... well thats not a story for the public....

You completely misunderstood me. What I was implying is there is a general attitude of permissiveness, when it comes to sex. Which is fine. Nothing wrong with that. But, it seems to be a one way street, in regard to this incident. It feels like a false sense of morality. But, perhaps the outrage is due to it being outdoor sex. This is being interpreted as carelessness, which I suppose it was.

whether it was carelessness, rudeness or hell, filming it whilst sticking the middle finger up to dear leader no sane mind can possibly condone them having their heads and faces smashed in with a hoe because of it? surely?

Do I sense the tide turning against the wanna-be emperor squaddie-general in the expat community?

tide turned for me when i saw all the hawkers back on hua hin beach a week after they were kicked off